Mustafa Prize to hold seventh edition in Aug 2027, expand outreach across Muslim world

The seventh edition of the Mustafa (PBUH) Prize, a major science and technology award for scientists in the Islamic world, will be held in August 2027, according to the chairman of the Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation.

Ali Akbar Salehi said in a press conference on Tuesday that the prize has been held six times since 2015 and that the foundation hopes future editions can be hosted by other Muslim-majority countries, including Turkey, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Pakistan.

“Alongside the main prize, which carries a $500,000 award and is presented to leading scientists, the foundation will present the Rasul Medal for the second time to outstanding young scientists under the age of 40,” he said.

The medal carries a $10,000 cash award, he added.

“The financial resources for the $10,000 Rasul Medal come from endowments made by Mustafa Prize laureates themselves, including Dr. [Omid] Farrokhzad and Dr. [Wahab] Mirrokni, who endowed their prizes to support and encourage young scientists,” Salehi said.

According to Salehi, 190,902 candidates have been nominated for the 2027 Mustafa Prize.
Following the initial screening, 53 candidates were selected in the fields of basic sciences and engineering, while 180 were selected in biological sciences and medicine, bringing the total number of shortlisted candidates to 233, he said.

The prize is open to both Muslim and non-Muslim scientists living in Islamic countries, as well as Muslim scientists working in non-Muslim countries, Salehi noted.

“Our goal is to identify talents that remain relatively unknown to our own scientific community and introduce them to the wider community, so that these scientists can gain greater visibility regardless of geography,” Salehi said.

Special coverage of Mustafa Priza: Interview with laureates

The Mustafa Prize is a biennial award that was established in Iran in 2012.

He noted that the 22 scientists who have received the prize so far have included researchers from countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, alongside laureates from Iran, Turkey, Malaysia and Singapore.

Salehi also highlighted the foundation’s broader efforts to build scientific networks across the Islamic world.

These include the Science and Technology Exchange Program (STEP), seasonal schools, the Faculty Mobility in Islamic Countries (AFMIC) program, and the Young Scientists Fellowship Program (YSFP).

“The mission of the foundation goes beyond simply honoring scientists. We want scientists to know one another and create an environment for scientific cooperation, synergy and mutual exchange,” he said.

He added that the foundation also operates a scientific observatory monitoring developments at the frontiers of science and runs programs for students, including the Noor competitions and Science Cafés.

A science-themed comic book series aimed at making scientific achievements accessible to younger audiences is also being developed, with its first volume focusing on the achievements of Mustafa Prize laureate Dr. Farrokhzad.

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